- Joined
- Jul 31, 2010
- Messages
- 8,874
Rams' loss was coming when Todd Gurley lost 6 yards to open overtime
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...hen-todd-gurley-lost-6-yards-to-open-overtime
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- A look back at the turning point play in the St. Louis Rams' 21-18 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday:
The situation: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer threw a curveball at the Rams and coach Jeff Fisher after regulation ended in an 18-18 tie. After Minnesota won the coin toss, Zimmer chose to have the wind at his back rather than taking the ball. Of course, that's a strange decision only because overtime rules dictate that if the team to get the ball first scores a touchdown, the game is over without the other team getting a possession. But there was a method to Zimmer's madness.
In regulation, only six points had been scored going toward the west end zone all day, none via a kick. So Zimmer wanted to force a fledgling Rams offense to have to go the distance to win it rather than allowing the Rams the chance to go toward the east end zone where kicker Greg Zuerlein had already made four field goals, including a 61-yard attempt. What's more, a quick stop would force the Rams to have to punt into the wind. For what it's worth Fisher said Monday he would have taken the ball either way to try to win it but he also had been cognizant of the wind all day.
The Vikings' kickoff went through the end zone, giving the Rams first-and-10 at their 20 to open overtime.
The play: Operating from a pistol look with running back Todd Gurley behind quarterback Nick Foles, a receiver split to each side and a tight end on each side of the line, the Rams had a formation that's worked for them in recent weeks for some big plays. But as they had done all day, the Vikings loaded up the box with the intent to stop Gurley and dare Foles to beat them. Minnesota's defense had five players on the line of scrimmage with a safety and two linebackers just a couple of yards behind.
At the snap, Gurley took the handoff with the intent to run right but Minnesota crashed hard down the line with linebacker Anthony Barr forcing the edge inside tight end Jared Cook. Left tackle Greg Robinson essentially whiffed on blocking end Everson Griffen which allowed Griffen and Barr to shut down what looked to be Gurley's read. From there, Gurley tried to make something out of nothing by breaking it back to the left but Vikings safety Harrison Smith followed behind Barr unblocked, which forced Gurley further outside as Smith latched on. Smith was unable to bring Gurley down but held on long enough for the cavalry to come and drop Gurley for a 6-yard loss at the Rams' 14.
The fallout: Normally, one negative running play wouldn't qualify as a turning point play but given how horrible the Rams have been on third down this year, there was an immediate sense of impending doom following this play. The Rams have had trouble putting themselves in manageable third downs all year and second-and-16 came with a feeling of an inevitable third and long, which would lead to a punt into the wind from near the end zone, which would lead to a game-winning field goal chance for the Vikings with the wind at their back.
As it turned out, all of those things happened as the Rams went three-and-out and had to punt on fourth-and-16. Rams punter Johnny Hekker actually hit a great punt for 63 yards but because he needed distance, it allowed for a return and Minnesota's Marcus Sherels brought it back 26 yards to the Vikings' 49. It didn't hurt that the Vikings got away with a block in the back but that field position allowed Adrian Peterson to run four times for 21 yards to set up kicker Blair Walsh's 40-yard field goal attempt.
Walsh made the kick and sent the Rams home with a 21-18 loss, denying them a chance to get to 5-3 for the first time since 2003. In a tight game played in windy conditions, field position can be everything and a 6-yard loss to start overtime helped determine this one.
By Nick Wagoner
http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...hen-todd-gurley-lost-6-yards-to-open-overtime
EARTH CITY, Mo. -- A look back at the turning point play in the St. Louis Rams' 21-18 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday:
The situation: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer threw a curveball at the Rams and coach Jeff Fisher after regulation ended in an 18-18 tie. After Minnesota won the coin toss, Zimmer chose to have the wind at his back rather than taking the ball. Of course, that's a strange decision only because overtime rules dictate that if the team to get the ball first scores a touchdown, the game is over without the other team getting a possession. But there was a method to Zimmer's madness.
In regulation, only six points had been scored going toward the west end zone all day, none via a kick. So Zimmer wanted to force a fledgling Rams offense to have to go the distance to win it rather than allowing the Rams the chance to go toward the east end zone where kicker Greg Zuerlein had already made four field goals, including a 61-yard attempt. What's more, a quick stop would force the Rams to have to punt into the wind. For what it's worth Fisher said Monday he would have taken the ball either way to try to win it but he also had been cognizant of the wind all day.
The Vikings' kickoff went through the end zone, giving the Rams first-and-10 at their 20 to open overtime.
The play: Operating from a pistol look with running back Todd Gurley behind quarterback Nick Foles, a receiver split to each side and a tight end on each side of the line, the Rams had a formation that's worked for them in recent weeks for some big plays. But as they had done all day, the Vikings loaded up the box with the intent to stop Gurley and dare Foles to beat them. Minnesota's defense had five players on the line of scrimmage with a safety and two linebackers just a couple of yards behind.
At the snap, Gurley took the handoff with the intent to run right but Minnesota crashed hard down the line with linebacker Anthony Barr forcing the edge inside tight end Jared Cook. Left tackle Greg Robinson essentially whiffed on blocking end Everson Griffen which allowed Griffen and Barr to shut down what looked to be Gurley's read. From there, Gurley tried to make something out of nothing by breaking it back to the left but Vikings safety Harrison Smith followed behind Barr unblocked, which forced Gurley further outside as Smith latched on. Smith was unable to bring Gurley down but held on long enough for the cavalry to come and drop Gurley for a 6-yard loss at the Rams' 14.
The fallout: Normally, one negative running play wouldn't qualify as a turning point play but given how horrible the Rams have been on third down this year, there was an immediate sense of impending doom following this play. The Rams have had trouble putting themselves in manageable third downs all year and second-and-16 came with a feeling of an inevitable third and long, which would lead to a punt into the wind from near the end zone, which would lead to a game-winning field goal chance for the Vikings with the wind at their back.
As it turned out, all of those things happened as the Rams went three-and-out and had to punt on fourth-and-16. Rams punter Johnny Hekker actually hit a great punt for 63 yards but because he needed distance, it allowed for a return and Minnesota's Marcus Sherels brought it back 26 yards to the Vikings' 49. It didn't hurt that the Vikings got away with a block in the back but that field position allowed Adrian Peterson to run four times for 21 yards to set up kicker Blair Walsh's 40-yard field goal attempt.
Walsh made the kick and sent the Rams home with a 21-18 loss, denying them a chance to get to 5-3 for the first time since 2003. In a tight game played in windy conditions, field position can be everything and a 6-yard loss to start overtime helped determine this one.
